When World of Warcraft: Legion hits, all of your weapons will very quickly become almost totally worthless. However, not in the way we are all used to. In this expansion Artifact Weapons are coming onto the scene and will change the game as we know it. Artifact Weapons are super powerful weapons that each specialization will obtain. This Artifact will be the one and only weapon your character will wield throughout the entire expansion, period. The option won't even be there, as no other weapons will drop in the Legion expansion. Toto, I've a feeling we're not in Kansas anymore.

Only Azeroth’s most seasoned veterans possess the fortitude to wield artifacts of legend against the Burning Legion. Your myth-forged weapon grows in power as you do, and your choices will change its abilities and the way it looks, sounds, and feels in combat. Fashion your artifact into the perfect instrument of battle, and guide your faction in its most desperate hour.

Obtaining Your Artifact Weapon

Each specialization will have its own unique Artifact Weapon, making for a total of 36 weapons. Of course, these weapons of unknown power will not just be handed to you. Players will be sent on quests unique to their specialization and the weapon they will eventually wield. For example; Death Knights will head to Icecrown Citadel to retrieve the shattered remains of Frostmourne.

However, while these quests should feel epic, they won't be as elaborate as class quests we have seen in the past. Obtaining an Artifact Weapon will not be a long and difficult task. Since an Artifact Weapon is something that every player needs, the quest line will be able to be completed fairly easily. The objective of this quest is not to frustrate, but to develop the story line and reinforce the fantasy created in the expansion.

Alternate Characters and Specializations

For players with alternate characters, you will also be able to obtain Artifact Weapons for all of these characters. It may not happen right away, but it has been promised that it will happen. There is currently no catch-up method in place to quickly level up your Artifacts for your alts. Each individual weapon will need to be leveled for each character.

The same holds true for players who play multiple specializations on a single character. You will eventually be able to have an Artifact for each specialization you wish. However, some work will need to be done to bring it up to par with your first Artifact Weapon.

Upgrading Artifact Weapons

Your Artifact Weapon will literally level up with you in Legion. As mentioned above, you will receive your weapon early on and carry it with you throughout the expansion. Your Artifact can be made more powerful in one of two ways: Power and Relics.

Artifact Power

Artifact Power can be used to unlock weapon traits. Each Artifact Weapon will have its own unique set of traits. Some traits are much more powerful than others, but all will benefit the current specialization you are playing. Eventually, all traits will be unlocked, but you determine the initial path.

Players with more than one specialization will likely have a a quick way to gain Artifact Power. This will make having an Artifact for each specialization you play less tedious. Blizzard doesn't want to punish multi-spec players by making the process overly painful.

Relics

Along with traits, your Artifact Weapon will have Relic Slots. These slots can be filled with Relics that will determine raw stats such as spell power and strength. Unlike Artifact Power, Relics are obtained from more traditional means such as quests, raid bosses, and dungeons. Players using more than one specialization will need to collect all new Relics for each.

Customizing Artifact Weapons

For those of you who are dreading being stuck with the same old weapon the entire expansion; Artifact Weapons can be customized! Each weapon has several designs and tints to choose from. Customizing your Artifact will take place in your class-specific area in Legion.

Weapon designs (including a “master” version of the weapon) can be unlocked in a variety of ways:

Raids

PvP

Achievements

Leveling the Artifact

and more!

Blizzard developers have added some pretty cool designs here, with the idea that every player should hopefully find something they love. However, if you find that you absolutely hate everything there is to offer, there is still hope! Artifact Weapons can be transmogrified. The only limitation being that you cannot transmogrify it into another type of weapon.

Please note that the information above comes from various interviews Blizzard developers have given since Legion was announced. Any and all information above could change. Please keep checking back as we gain new and/or updated information about Artifact Weapons.

Artifact Weapon Preview

After Legion, developers released a series of previews for each class's Artifact Weapon:

About The Author

Amunet, also fondly known as Memtron, is an organic life form best known for its ongoing obsession with Blizzard Entertainment's numerous properties. To that end, Amu has authored hundreds (thousands?) of the most popular World of Warcraft guides, editorials, and Top 10 lists on the planet. When not gaming and writing, Amu is busy chasing after her three children in a perpetual loop of ongoing disaster.